You are here

Newsroom

Americans Mark MLK Day By Tackling Community Problems through Service

Americans Mark MLK Day By Tackling Community Problems through Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Jan 17, 2011

‘MLK
25 Challenge’ Asks Americans to Commit 25 Acts of Service Throughout the Year

Washington, DC, Today, hundreds of thousands of Americans across
the country will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Holiday by joining with their neighbors to address pressing social
and economic problems in their communities.

More than forty years after his death, America still confronts
many of the same challenges Dr. King faced during his lifetime – poverty,
hunger, illiteracy, youth violence, and a dropout crisis.

Organizations across the country are using the MLK Day of Service
to engage volunteers in addressing these challenges, both on the holiday and
throughout the year.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama,
cabinet secretaries, elected officials, nonprofit and business leaders, and
Americans of all ages and backgrounds will roll up their sleeves to serve on
the 2011 Martin Luther King, Jr. National Day of Service. Whether delivering
meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and
clothing, reading to children, or providing employment counseling, Americans
will provide solutions to community problems.

“By
dedicating this day to service, we move our nation closer to Dr. King's vision
of all Americans living and working together as one beloved community,”
President Obama stated in a proclamation regarding Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Federal Holiday.

In 1994, Congress passed
legislation transforming the King Holiday into a national day of service – a
“day on, not a day off” - and charged the Corporation for National and
Community Service (CNCS) with leading this national effort. The day has grown from a handful of projects
16 years ago to more than 13,000 this year.

“Dr. King devoted his life to
the work of building a more perfect union.
As Americans, that is a job for all of us – not just on MLK Day but
throughout the year,” said Patrick A. Corvington, CEO of CNCS. “By joining together in service, we can have
a real and lasting impact on the toughest problems facing our communities and
our nation.”

MLK
Day Ambassadors will mark the King
Holiday by volunteering in local service projects, while others will post
Twitter and Facebook messages leading up to the day of service. Among the
Ambassadors are famed civil rights leaders, governors, service leaders, and
celebrities, such as Monique Coleman, Hill Harper, and Tatyana
Ali.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the King
federal holiday, and to encourage service throughout the year, CNCS has launched
the MLK 25 Challenge: What Are You Doing For Others?The initiative calls on Americans to commit
to take at least 25 actions during 2011 to make a difference for others and
honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Civil rights luminaries including Congressman John
Lewis, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, and Ruby Bridges
are featured in a new King Legacy of Service 25th Anniversary video
produced by CNCS that tells the story of how Dr. King's birthday has evolved
into a national day of service. The agency also launched the Drum Major for Service Awardwith
the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to recognize
more than 600 everyday service heroes that are making a difference in their
communities.

Across the country, Americans will make today “a day on, not a day
off” by participating in service projects that address a multitude of pressing
social issues from hunger to homelessness and environmental challenges. Below
are some of the projects taking place across the country. Thousands more can be
found at MLKDay.gov.

Healthy Futures for All

·
In
Atlanta, over 2,000 volunteers will be on hand to package and distribute 10,000
boxes of food to the hungry.

·
825
volunteers in Waco, TX with the Campus Kitchen Project will serve at 15
community service art projects at school garden sites and provide meals with nutrition
pamphlets. They will return in April for a Harvest Celebration to enjoy the
garden’s produce.

·
A
health-care career fair will be held in Ann Arbor, MI, for young people
considering careers in the growing field.

Educating America's Children

·
Tomorrow's
Aeronautical Museum's hangar at the Compton Airport will be transformed into an
interactive STEM learning center, allowing students to apply math and science
principles to actual projects, including building a real aircraft.

·
In
Connecticut, a college and education fair will provide services including
resume review, college application and essay assistance, and financial aid
training.

Supporting Veterans and Military Families

·
West
Virginia residents will host an informational session to help veterans who are
applying for benefits with Veterans Affairs and the VA Medical Center.

·
Volunteers
in Gulfport will be repairing the house of a 70 year old veteran, whose house
was damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day
of Service:

In 1994, Congress passed
legislation encouraging Americans to observe the King Holiday as a national day
of service that brings people together from different backgrounds to meet needs
in their community. The Corporation for National and Community Service was
designated as the lead federal agency to execute the King Day of Service.
Participation has grown every year since its inception. The King Day of Service
provides Americans the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King
through service to meet local and national needs. For more information visit MLKDay.gov.

###

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Social Innovation Fund, and George H.W. Bush Volunteer Generation Fund programs, and leads the President's national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit NationalService.gov.